Lance is right . . . it’s not about the bike.

Posted on January 17, 2013 | 3 Comments

On a day when cycling takes another black eye, here is a truly amazing story about how cycling has helped unite two brothers. It’s not about the bike . . . it’s about the people who ride them and the bond it creates.

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3 responses to “Lance is right . . . it’s not about the bike.”

  1. Andrew | April 15, 2013 at 9:38 pm | Reply

    Hey Ben,

    I just read through your entire blog since yesterday (sick with a sinus infection so I had a ton of free time) and I really enjoyed it. I’ve been cycling now for a few years and have hit a plateau of an average speed in the mid 17’s on an average 50 mile course in north Dallas. Your blog has inspired me to find a way to increase my training time with my busy life (work, wife, 4 month old baby). Do you have any tips or tricks to finding the 12-15 hours a week that you are able to ride? How did you get your wife on board with the training amount?

    Thanks,

    Drew

    • Ben | April 15, 2013 at 10:30 pm | Reply

      Andrew,
      Step 1 is having a very understanding wife. Assuming you’ve got that, the key is really getting an early start. Best cycling purchase I ever made was a strong light (NiteRider Mi.Newt) in order to be able to start my rides pre-sunrise. Same with long weekend rides. I’ll leave the house early enough to be back for all the family weekend activities and duties. Last piece would be to cut the junk miles and have specific goals for getting stronger. Best way I’ve found to do this is with a power meter. As an example, if I only have 90 minutes to ride on a Saturday, hill repeats or VO2 max intervals are going to do more for improvement than going out and cruising at 18 mph.
      Good luck

    • John | October 3, 2013 at 3:09 pm | Reply

      Andrew, I know this seems counterintuitive, but you really don’t have to spend that much time in the saddle to improve. You can actually increase your workout volume by upping the intensity. Check out a book called The Time Crunched Cyclist. It provides an explanation of high intensity training and provides training plans for cyclists of all levels. It calls for hard work in short periods of time, But you’ll experience amazing gains.

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